Identification for New Immigrants

For immigrants who have newly set foot in the United States, there are countless things to keep track of, both in their country of origin and in the States. For many, everyday life, work, family and more take precedence. However, there are many ways to increase your ease of access navigating within the States and traveling abroad. AIIA has compiled this guide to help these immigrants find solutions that ease the burdens of transnational immigration, starting with the first installment of the series: Travel Permits and Identification.

Identification

Conditional Green Card and Immigrant Visas

The single most crucial element of arriving in the US for the first time is obtaining your physical green card. It is typically issued to an immigrant 2-4 weeks after being processed at a US port of entry. This card comes in the mail to the address on file with USCIS and USPS (The U.S. Postal Service).

On U.S. soil, the immigrant visa which is stamped by Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) officials upon entry is proof of permanent residence for up to one year after entry. This stamp is required by federal law, meaning that it is equivalent to a physical green card in proving legal residence.

Permanent Residents (green card holders) are legally required to have their green card on their person at all times. However, many immigrants opt not to do this, given the high risk of losing a green card in a misplaced wallet, the laundry, or any other place, and the hefty fees imposed on replacing it. 

One solution to this issue is photocopying your green card, laminating it, and writing “copy” on the front. This identification should be enough to satisfy the needs of any US officer who may ask for identification. 

Note: if using the stamped immigrant visa for identification, be wary that this document has little formal recognition outside the United States, where a physical green card will be required to demonstrate residence.

What if I lose my conditional green card?

Losing a green card is a big issue, and comes at a steep financial cost to the cardholder. Individuals who lose their green card must file a form I-90, Application to replace Permanent Resident Card. However, you may have to pay your I-90 fee to USCIS again, depending if the fault of loss falls on you. 

Additionally, if you lose your receipt notice before you receive your green card, you can always call USCIS to retrieve the receipt number. However, it is always the best practice to print out receipt notices for extra assurance so you do not lose it.

What if my green card never arrives?

USCIS’s online portal gives immigrants tracking numbers and automatic updates on the status of the green card delivery. However, in circumstances where the green card never arrives, there are a few solutions:

• Ensure your address registered with USCIS is correct, or that the address of your accredited representative is correct (i.e. your attorney, family, etc)
• If USPS shows your card as “delivered”, file a missing mail form with the agency
• Reach out to USCIS’s contact center to see if the package was returned to USCIS
  • If your package is still nowhere to be found and it is believed that USCIS destroyed the unclaimed card, you can proceed with filing an I-90.

Ensuring the physical green card is in your hands as soon as possible after immigrating is critical to preventing issues when traveling later on. Using merely a receipt notice of a green card can cause massive delays at the border until officers can verify your identity and immigration status.

Drivers License

It is recommended that eligible individuals apply for a driver’s license as an auxiliary form of identification to use alongside their green card. This serves as a secondary  form of identification which will give immigrants more ease of access navigating everyday affairs. A green card is not necessary to apply for a driver’s license; usually only a valid visa or proof of visa issuance is required in order to apply (rules vary by state). For the new immigrants who do not know how to drive, they can apply for their state’s basic ID (without driving privileges) instead in most states and territories within the US. Immigrants can check here to see if their state offers driver’s licenses or IDs to non-citizens .

NOTE: Do not apply to vote when registering for a drivers license. In some cases, the application may ask if you would like to register to vote. Only naturalized immigrants who hold U.S. citizenship are eligible to vote. Registering to vote as a non-naturalized immigrant is a deportable offense and could result in losing your visa, being deported, and being banned from naturalization in the future.

Social Security Cards

Social Security Cards act as a personal identification number for a resident of the United States. They are critical for filing taxes, getting a job, renting/leasing/and buying property, applying for credit cards, and much more. EB-5 Immigrants who are arriving in the U.S. should ideally receive a social security card in the mail 2-4 weeks after being processed for their green card at a port of entry. 

Because the Social Security Number (SSN) is a critical piece of identification, any immigrant who does not receive their social security card in the mail should contact the Social Security Office (SSO) immediately to check on the status of their card. USCIS sometimes is delayed in transferring the necessary documentation to the SSO; if this is the case, an immigrant may need to contact Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) at the port of entry they were processed at to learn more about the status of their SSN.

Many investors who file for Adjustment of Status (AOS) have already received their SSN through other means, such as their work visa, student visa, or another form of temporary residence visa which allows for employment. Most visas allow an immigrant to file for a SSN, with the exception of visitor visas (B-1, B-2). Once an immigrant obtains a SSN, it is valid until their immigrant status expires. If you have already received a SSN, there is no need to apply for a new one. If you do not have a SSN while already in the US, you can apply for one through form I-765, “Application for Employment Authorization” or form I-485 “Application for Lawful Permanent Resident Status”. Read more about how to apply for a SSN as a noncitizen here.

For more on obtaining a SSN and filing taxes, refer to our other resource: U.S. Taxes for EB-5 investors: Filing your taxes.